Dallas Cowboys Will Only Make Playoffs If Quarterback Tony Romo Guides Them

By Ben Grimaldi

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been quite the whirlwind season for the Dallas Cowboys and especially for quarterback Tony Romo. They started out fast with a win to open the NFL season and then the team and Romo struggled to play consistent football for the next two months or so.

However, looking back at the last four games, the Cowboys’ record is 3-1 and Tony Romo has played his best football of the year. He’s thrown nine touchdowns and only two interceptions in those games with an average passer rating of 112.4. That’s playing winning football.

The Cowboys are right in the middle of not only the playoff chase, but also the race for the NFC East title, so what I’m about to say shouldn’t surprise anyone. If the Dallas Cowboys want to make the playoffs this season, it all rides on the play of Tony Romo.

Yes, the return of DeMarco Murray helps a great deal and he may be the person who makes the offense most effective, but when it all comes down to it, the quarterback is usually the player who either wins or loses the game for you. At some point in these games, your quarterback is going to have to make the plays to get this Cowboys team over the hump this season. That is all on Romo.

Murray will help make Romo more effective because defenses will now have to worry about the Cowboys’ running game plus Romo and the passing game, which is why his return is so important. With Murray in the lineup, the Cowboys will be able to slow the linebackers and safeties with play action fakes and the Cowboys should be able to slow the pass rush against their weak offensive line. It also opens up the play calling for Jason Garrett, which many of us have been wanting to see.

Romo struggled early in the season with consistency because he wasn’t on the same page with his wide receivers, but that has all changed now. Dez Bryant and Romo are in sync and have been a lethal combination in the past month. Romo’s trust in Bryant has made him a better quarterback.

Now that Murray is back, Romo no longer has to be everything for the Dallas offense and that could be the most important reason for his struggles earlier this season. Romo needed some help on offense and as serviceable as Felix Jones and the other Cowboys running backs were, they aren’t DeMarco Murray. Murray makes defensive coaches game plan to stop him and he allows a little less pressure to be on Romo. That is when Romo is at his best.

The most important player to the Dallas Cowboys offense may be DeMarco Murray, but the only player who is capable of leading them into the playoffs is Tony Romo. Without him playing well, they don’t stand a chance.